Roof-creeper



(No Model.)

I. F. BENTLEY. ROOFCREEPER.

No. 451,150. PatentedApr.Z8,1891.

finesse;

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

FRANK F. BENTLEY, OF NILES, OHIO.

ROOF-CREEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,150, dated April 28, 1891.

' Application filed February 19, 1891. Serial No. 382,093. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK F. BENTLEY, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Niles, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roof-Creepers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

The object of my invention is a combined climber and roof-creeper of such construction that, attached to the feet and legs of a roofer or other workman upon a pitch roof, it will without attention upon his part hold him securely in any position he may desire to take at his work, and also enable him to move with absolute safety over the roof at pleasure, while upon occasion it may be used for climbing vertical or inclining parts of the building. I accomplish this object by the mechanism hereinafter described, and illustrated in the drawing, in which the same is shown in a single figure, the parts being indicated by letters. That for the right foot only is shown, as it differs from the other only in the opposite placement of the leg-bar b, which in each appears upon the outer side of the leg, a matter not requiring illustration.

The idea of my invention is to arm each side of the foot near the ankle and the oxtreme rear of the heel with outward and downward projecting spurs to catch into the roofing-boards, (the inner side spurs to be used in vertical climbing,) so that whether the roofer be sitting or reclining, turn and move as he will one or more of the spurs is constantly guarding him from slipping and forms a brace in creeping upward,whileif he stands erect each spur, bracing in different directions,'contributes to give firmness to his footing. In general the roofer will prefer to thus arm but one foot.

The'leg-bar b is a bar of iron or steel of suitable breadth and thickness, extending when applied from a short distance below the knee upon the outer side of the leg to the boot-sole beneath the arch, then curving inward across the boot-sole and upon the inner side curving upward a short distance, and thence outward and downward, terminating in a sharpened point forming the spur s',being similar thus far to the pole-climber used by telegraph linemen. The upper end is bent into the loop 1, while the similar loop Z is provided near its vertical center, both being upon the outer side and for use with straps in securing the appliance to the leg. The lower loop Z may be omitted, as a rigid fastening can be secured without its use by e1nploying,in addition to the strap passing through the upper loopZ and around the leg, the spur s to catch a strap from the same loop. 'The lines of the bar I) may be angular; but I prefer the curvatures described as better conforming to the shape of that part of the boot that will rest therein.

To the outer side of the barb near its lower end the shorter bar I) is riveted, which at the point where the curve in the bar I) begins is turned outward and downward, terminating in a sharpened point forming the spur s. From a point midway between the side spurs s ands the heel-bar b, riveted at its forward end to the leg-bar 1), extends rearward to the extreme rear of the boot-heel, where it bends upward ashort distance, and thence outward and downward, terminating in a sharpened point forming the heel-spur 8. To better conform to the boot-sole the heel-bar b at the point of departure from the bar I), to which,

it is riveted, may by curved or right-angle v but I am not aware that a combined climber I and roof-creeper consisting of the armament of the boot-heel with three outward and downward projecting spurs, one upon each side and one at the rear, by the means above described, was ever known until my invention thereof.

That I claim isthe two side spurs, and at the other end turned upward and again downward, terminating in the heel-spur 3", each spur trending outward and downward, substantially as described, 15

and for the purpose expressed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK F. BENTLEY. Vitnesses:

HORACE SMITH, EDWARD E.1\I[OREMAN. 

